textproduct: Amarillo

KEY MESSAGES

Issued at 1043 PM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

- Rapidly changing daytime temperatures will occur over the next few days with highs dropping nearly 20 degrees from Thursday to Friday.

- Light snow is possible on Friday night into Saturday morning across the eastern Panhandles.

- Mild temperatures and dry conditions are expected Sunday through the middle of next week.

SHORT TERM

(Tonight through Friday night) Issued at 1043 PM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

A roller coaster of temperatures will occur over the next two days for the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. For Thursday, surface low pressure is forecast to move over the CWA, which will keep winds on the lighter side for most locations. The northern and southern Panhandles may be a bit breezy as they will be to the north and south of the surface low. Afternoon highs are forecast to be much warmer in the 60s to low 70s.

A strong cold front will race southward across the southern High Plains Thursday night into Friday morning. Breezy to gusty north winds will be possible in its wake during the early morning hours on Friday. The breezy winds will likely continue into the afternoon hours with the strongest winds across the east. Highs on Friday will be much cooler than Thursday, with highs around 20 degrees cooler. Due to the cooler temperatures, anything above elevated fire weather conditions are not expected even though relative humidity values may drop below 20 percent. Going into Friday night, temperatures well below freezing are likely with lows in the teens to lower 20s. In addition to the cooler temperatures, light snow or flurries may begin across portions of the CWA leading into Saturday morning as the base of an upper level trough combined with increased mid to low level moisture move in over the region.

Muscha

LONG TERM

(Saturday through next Wednesday) Issued at 1043 PM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

The base of the H300 trough should be moving across the Panhandles at sunrise on Saturday. With synoptic lift still over the region, light snow showers or flurries may still be ongoing across portions of the area through the morning hours. The highest potential for the snow showers is across the northeast and eastern Panhandles at this time. There is some uncertainty with where the best chances are, but cannot rule out a few tenths of snow accumulation with this system. The potential for 1 inch or more of snow is very low (10-20 percent) at this time. This system will also bring a reinforcing shot of colder air across the Panhandles. Just how strong the cold air mass is varies in the model guidance, but it is looking increasingly likely that highs will stay in the 30s for Saturday. The potential for highs below 40 has gone up quite a bit in probabilistic guidance of the NBM, from 10-30 percent at 13z now up to 40-80 percent with the new 15/01z NBM run. Will keep the current NBM temperatures in the forecast for now even though they could be a bit warm, but it is only by a couple of degrees most likely.

Upper level troughing is expected to weaken and move further east Sunday through the remainder of this long term forecast period. Northerly flow is expected to become more west to northwest during the next work week. This will keep the southern High Plains opened up for multiple cold frontal passages, which will keep temperatures near to slightly above average. Dry conditions are anticipated beyond Saturday with some breezy conditions that may lead to continued fire weather conditions.

Muscha

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 440 AM CST Thu Jan 15 2026

VFR conditions are expected through the next 24 hours. Southwesterly to westerly winds will turn to northwesterly/northeasterly winds through the day, and a cold front will move in later tonight and introduce some breezy northerly winds.

Vanden Bosch

AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

TX...None. OK...None.